Viola Josephine McKay

Born October 23, 1925, in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, to Francis Charles Adams and Sara Lucille (nee Kaster) Adams. A 1943 graduate of Cuyahoga Falls High School, she began work after graduation at Goodyear Tire & Rubber. The job ended after WWII in 1945. She enjoyed many friends at that time in her life. She used the name Viola in her working life, but to friends and family, she was known as “Josie”, or simply “Jo”.

Viola met her future husband at a dance held near Brimfield Township in 1945. She married Karl L. McKay on May 11, 1946 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Cuyahoga Falls. After marrying, the couple lived for a few years with Karl’s Aunt Veronica Eichler in Ravenna, where they had two daughters. Karl worked on the county road crew during that period. He later began work at Firestone Tire & Rubber, where he would work until his death in 1960.

Viola and Karl were active members of their respective families. Viola and Karl bought a parcel of land located one mile south of Kent on SR 43 (then known as Cleveland Canton Road) around 1948. Karl, with his brothers’ help, salvaged lumber from a Ravenna home being demolished. He and Viola built a four-bedroom Cape Cod home where they would add a third child. The husbands of Viola and her sister Betty Gallo built their homes with one another’s help, finishing their homes around 1951. A fourth child was born in 1955.

Viola was the last surviving member of “The McKay Eight”, which included four McKay siblings (Paul, Julian, Karl, and Mary) and their spouses who acted as an extended family group, helping one another with their housing projects and enjoying family time together.

After moving to Portage County, the couple joined St. Patrick’s Church in Kent, Ohio. She was a supporter of St. Patrick’s calendar fundraiser. This was a fun memory for the children.

Viola and Karl went on to build a second home that was finished around 1959 on the same property. By this time, older daughters were helping by bringing nails up the ladder to their father, much to the consternation of Viola. The house was a smaller, new construction, 3-bedroom home, intended to be a steppingstone to a future 3rd home. The family continued to enjoy their extended families, even adding raising chickens to provide sustainable food for the family. Making home chores look easy--such as cleaning a chicken, preparing a big pot of starch and bluing on the stove--for dipping washed clothes from a wringer washer, Viola became adept at “all things domestic” to keep the young family healthy, clothed, fed, and ready for the next step in life—school.

Viola supported programs at the elementary school, becoming active as a Blue Bird (Camp Fire Girls) leader. She delighted in making projects for the young club members to do, even having meetings in the McKay home. 4-H also emerged as an activity she supported for her children’s growth and development. Cooking and sewing were the major areas that kept the children busy. Good 4-H cooking projects lessened the load of meal preparation for the busy Viola.

After the completion of the second home, Viola became widowed when Karl suffered a health emergency at Firestone and soon passed away on March 23, 1960. Viola’s children were ages 4, 8, 10, and 11 at the time of Karl’s passing.

Viola planned the future for her children with care, delaying entering the work force until all were in school. In 1961, Viola began to work full-time at the Kent Credit Bureau. The credit associations later merged into the Credit Bureau of N.E. Ohio. This brought Viola supervisory responsibilities that took her to logistics meetings all over the region in her later years. Viola retired after 24 years of service in 1984.

She worked her job, and also ensured that her children had many activities during her hours away from home. Activities included Fred Fuller Day Camp, Camp Fire Girl programs, 4-H projects, summer Camp Fire Camp, 4-H Camp, library trips, piano lessons, and instrumental lessons. School parent-teacher conferences also kept her on the go. In short, Viola used every means possible to engage and support her daughters. All of these things were done over the years as her children matured and became young women. She never ceased to try to find solutions. Being “latch-key children” fostered independence that eventually met success one way or another. Bumps in the road were met with problem solving and responsibility. Viola was a master of the tools of early childhood, and also had the tool skills to address any issues the house threw at her.

Viola enjoyed the outdoors whenever she could. Mother Nature was a great comfort to her whether riding her John Deere lawn tractor or walking the back acres through blueberry bushes and wildflowers. Leaving the homes she and Karl built, Viola moved in 2007 to her last home in Tallmadge, where she enjoyed living until entering dementia care in 2021.

Viola was an independent and kind woman. In quiet moments throughout her life, she enjoyed reading, eating chocolate, and savoring a good cup of coffee.

Viola is survived by her daughters: Susan E. McKay, Carol L. (Michael) Leffler, Martha J. Quick, and Sharon E. Nolan; her grandchildren: Michelle Moore, Kristen Nester, and Amy Bell; great grandchildren: Kimberly Class, Brodie Richardson, Paige, and David; great-great grandson Mateo, and Viola’s elder sister Betty Gallo. Many friends she made throughout her life will miss her dearly.

Viola was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Karl Louis McKay, her sister Dorothy Bumstead, and her brother Jack Adams.

Friends and family will be received Thursday, December 5, 2024, from 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM with funeral service beginning at 12:00 PM at the Wood-Kortright-Borkoski Funeral Home, 703 E. Main St., Ravenna. Interment will follow at St. Mary Cemetery.

Condolences and fond memories may be shared at www.wood-kortright-borkoski.com